The new Consumer Reports Motorcycle reliability report data has been posted, this time it was much bigger with over 12,000 responses from 11,000 riders.
In terms of owner satisfaction, the ranks were:
1. Victory (notable high ratings for handling)
2. Harley Davidson (notable high ratings for handling)
3. Honda
4. BMW
5. Can-am
6. Ducati
7. Yamaha (dinged for comfort)
8. Triumph (dinged for comfort)
9. Kawasaki (dinged for comfort)
10. Suzuki (dinged for comfort)
High cost of maintenance was flagged by owners for Harley, BMW, Can-am and Ducati.
In terms of brand reliability: percent repairs and serious problems, as reported by owners:
1. Yamaha 11%
2. Suzuki 12%
3. Honda 13%
4. Kawasaki 15%
5. Victory 17%
6. Harley Davidson 26%
7. Triumph 29%
8. Ducati 33%
9. BMW 40%
10. Can-am 42%
So this is strange, there is almost an inverse correlation between satisfaction and reliability. Apparently to reach high customer satisfaction, you need a comfortable bike that breaks a lot.
Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki are among the more reliable motorcycle brands. Conversely, Triumph, Ducati, BMW and Can-Am are among the more repair-prone brands. That's what we found based on the feedback of more than 11,000 subscribers reporting on over 12,300 motorcycles purchased new between 2008 and 2014. The graph shows the percentage of motorcycles from each brand that we predict will need a repair by the fourth year of ownership. Our statistical model estimates failure rates for 4-year-old motorcycles not covered by a service contract and adjusts for mileage driven over a 12-month period. The mean annual mileage is around 3,800 among all motorcycles included in this analysis. Differences of fewer than 10 points between brands are not meaningful. Note that models within a brand may vary, and design or manufacture changes may affect future reliability. Still, choosing a brand with a good repair estimate can improve your odds of getting a reliable motorcycle.
In terms of owner satisfaction, the ranks were:
1. Victory (notable high ratings for handling)
2. Harley Davidson (notable high ratings for handling)
3. Honda
4. BMW
5. Can-am
6. Ducati
7. Yamaha (dinged for comfort)
8. Triumph (dinged for comfort)
9. Kawasaki (dinged for comfort)
10. Suzuki (dinged for comfort)
High cost of maintenance was flagged by owners for Harley, BMW, Can-am and Ducati.
In terms of brand reliability: percent repairs and serious problems, as reported by owners:
1. Yamaha 11%
2. Suzuki 12%
3. Honda 13%
4. Kawasaki 15%
5. Victory 17%
6. Harley Davidson 26%
7. Triumph 29%
8. Ducati 33%
9. BMW 40%
10. Can-am 42%
So this is strange, there is almost an inverse correlation between satisfaction and reliability. Apparently to reach high customer satisfaction, you need a comfortable bike that breaks a lot.
Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda and Kawasaki are among the more reliable motorcycle brands. Conversely, Triumph, Ducati, BMW and Can-Am are among the more repair-prone brands. That's what we found based on the feedback of more than 11,000 subscribers reporting on over 12,300 motorcycles purchased new between 2008 and 2014. The graph shows the percentage of motorcycles from each brand that we predict will need a repair by the fourth year of ownership. Our statistical model estimates failure rates for 4-year-old motorcycles not covered by a service contract and adjusts for mileage driven over a 12-month period. The mean annual mileage is around 3,800 among all motorcycles included in this analysis. Differences of fewer than 10 points between brands are not meaningful. Note that models within a brand may vary, and design or manufacture changes may affect future reliability. Still, choosing a brand with a good repair estimate can improve your odds of getting a reliable motorcycle.
